How collapse of the coal industry affects Colorado miners (5 letters)

West Elk Mine foreman Terry Hardman works last month in Somerest. West Elk is the last coal mine operating in the area. Hardman argues that âwindmills and solar just ainât strong enough, ainât going to carry us.â (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)

Bruce Finleyâs article about the difficulties of coal miners as Colorado coal mines shut down is a very fitting tribute to a dying business and the troubles it has wrought upon the miners. Americaâs coal miners are a dedicated group of highly skilled workers. They really have few places to find work that can use their immense skills. In many ways they are like soldiers returning from war. Both groups are highly skilled workers whose business no longer needs them. Itâs not that their skills are no longer useful, but more a problem of finding where and how to apply those skills.

We, as a country, should devote more money (thatâs spelled âtaxesâ â not a dirty word) and effort to make sure these human resources donât go to waste.

Ironically, the industry that displaced the coal business, natural gas, is now undergoing the same economic suffering. The skilled drillers are another resource that we should not allow to go to waste.

Noel Waechter, Littleton

This letter was published in the May 22 edition.

Thank you to all our miners. We deeply appreciate their work and all they have contributed to creating Coloradoâs economy. We owe them. We, as a state, need to help them transition to work that supports our fragile environment.

We need not deny the seriousness of climate change and its economic and health-related costs. We are experiencing rapid growth of clean and renewable energy. There are serious growing pains in this transition. When have we ever experienced such a huge overhaul of our economy? What will it take to build the renewable infrastructure required?

We need a transparent and simple plan for the transition from a fossil fuel-driven economy to one based on clean energy. One proposal that meets these criteria is a carbon fee and dividend. It is revenue neutral and a huge job creator.

Lesley LeFevre, Centennial

This letter was published in the May 22 edition.

The Postâs article on the coal industryâs decline in the North Fork Valley paints a picture of gloom while ignoring the benefits of reducing coal pollution and the opportunities for economic transformation. Colorado mountain towns have been reinventing themselves for over a century in response to social and economic changes. Crested Butte (which, like the West Elk Mine, is in Gunnison County) once was entirely dependent on coal. It now is a vibrant community centered on recreation, ranching, and sustainable public lands access. In summer, the town hosts an annual wildflower festival.

Communities in transition deserve compassion and aid. But we must, and we can, transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy.

Sandy Shea, Crested Butte

The writer is board president for High Country Conservation Advocates.

This letter was published in the May 22 edition.

In an otherwise excellent article on the decline of Coloradoâs coal mining industry, whatâs noticeably missing is the role played by natural gas. In fact, the words ânatural gasâ appear only three times in this lengthy piece and two of those mentions are from Gov. John Hickenlooper in which he makes the point that natural gas is the real cause of the decline.

But you couldnât tell that from industry lobbyists who keep blaming everyone and everything but the real culprit, including the federal government, regulations that have not yet been put in place, renewables and even President Obama and Hillary Clinton. While all of the causes cited by the coal industry and its employees do indeed play a role, they are minor compared to natural gas. The plain truth is that coal is being killed by an overabundance of low-cost, readily available natural gas.

I suggest they focus their efforts on the reality of natural gas, rather than political ideology. Perhaps they should consider joining the anti-fracking movement. After all, it is fracking that makes abundant, low-cost gas possible. Thatâs one way to bring back the industry: kill off the cleaner, low-cost competitor.

Martin D. Robbins, Denver

This letter was published in the May 22 edition.

As Upton Sinclair said, âIt is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.â Sinclairâs truism explains much about the climate change debate. If I were a coal miner like those quoted in last Sundayâs Denver Post, I too would resist understanding climate change and the emergence of clean energy. Replace âsalaryâ in Sinclairâs quote with âbelief system,â and you see how a sizable minority of Americans questions the reality of climate change despite the scientific consensus.

We need to reconcile the scientific reality with the political reality. As Gov. John Hickenlooper says, we must help workers in declining industries retrain for the clean energy future. We also need a national policy that slashes emissions while balancing liberal beliefs about regressive taxation, conservative beliefs about government spending, and business beliefs about economic growth. A carbon tax with all revenue refunded to the public fits that bill.

Jarett Zuboy, Golden

This letter was published in the May 22 edition.

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